CARPENTERS’  HALL: 

THE  MEETING  PLACE  OF  THE 

FIRST  CONTINENTAL  CONGRESS. 

Full  Sketch  of  its  History  from  1724; 

WITH  VIEWS  AND  SKETCHES  OF 


Carpenters’  Hall,  Clarke’s  Hall,  Benezet’s 
House,  and  Chestnut  Street  Bridge, 
Duche’s  House,  &c.,  &c. 


PREPARED 


For  the  Soldiers  and  Sailors  Home  Fair. 

| 

By  CASPER  SOUDER,  Jr. 

Philadelphia : 

Ring  & Baird,  Printers,  No.  607  Sanfom  rtreet. 

1865. 


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Carpenters’  Hall  and  Place  of  First  Congress. 


CARPENTERS’  HALL. 


The  pedestrian  who  forms  a part  of  the  busy  throng 
that  pours  daily  along  the  south  side  of  Chestnut  street, 
will  notice,  about  midway  between  Third  and  Fourth 
streets,  a handsome  iron  gateway,  tastefully  bronzed.  This 
gate  bears  at  its  summit  the  following  inscription : 

CARPENTERS’  HALL, 

. 1724. 

The  gate,  although  a formidable-looking  barrier,  is  not 
kept  fastened,  the  object  of  its  erection  being  the  exclusion 
of  persons  who  have  made  the  passage-way  it  protects  a 
common  nuisance  of  late  years.  This  gate,  and  the  pass- 
age it  adorns  and  protects,  leads  to  Carpenters’  Hall,  a 
cherished  relic  of  Revolutionary  times,  which  stands  about 
one  hundred  and  fifty  feet  back  from  the  line  of  Chestnut 
street. 

We  have  read  of  ancient  places  in  London — Inns-of- 
Court — which  were  located  when  land  was  plentiful  in  and 


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about  tbe  monster  metropolis — in  places  far  aloof  from  the  . 
built-up  portions  of  the  city.  These  Inns-of  Court  are 
surrounded  by  walls,  and  the  modern  visitor  to  them  turns 
aside  from  the  crowded  street,  and  in  a moment  finds  him- 
self in  a quiet  space,  where  grass  is  growing,  and  where 
sober  masses  of  masonry,  centuries  old,  doze  as  though 
there  was  no  such  thing  as  progress  in  the  world,  and  the 
original  Templars  had  only  retired  in-doors,  at  their  ancient 
quarters,  to  take  an  afternoon  nap.  We  often  think  of 
these  quiet  old  places,  in  the  midst  of  noise  and  bustle,  as 
we  leave  the  human  and  vehicular  torrent  which  pours 
along  Chestnut  street,  and  walk  up  the  passage  which  we 
have  already  described  as  leading  to  Carpenters’  Hall. 
The  ancient  Hall,  with  the  exception  of  some  recent  addi- 
tions and  improvements,  stands  just  as  it  did  in  the  days  of 
the  Revolution;  and  with  its  drowsy  old  semi-circular 
windows,  its  ancient  “blue  header”  bricks,  which  chequer 
its  front,  and  its  adjacent  grass-plot,  it  is  as  quiet  a retreat 
as  though  it  stood  miles  from  the  town,  instead  of  within 
less  than  two  hundred  feet  from  the  core  and  centre  of  the 
“ maddening  crowd’s  ignoble  strife.” 

Carpenters’  Hall  is  a well-kept  and  handsome  specimen 
of  the  architecture  of  the  eighteenth  century.  The  principal 
windows  are  semi-circular  at  the  top,  and  they,  as  well  as 
the  rather  imposing  doorway  in  front,  are  ornamented  with 
imitation  sand-stone  dressings.  The  bricks  are  alternately 
the  ordinary  red  affairs  and  " blue  headers,”  giving  the  front 
that  peculiar  chequer-board  appearance  common  to  the 
structures  erected  in  the  city  prior  to  the  commencement 
of  the  present  century.  The  edifice,  which  is  just  fifty  feet 


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square,  is  surmounted  with  a neat  cupola  and  vane ; and 
the  structure  as  it  stands,  is,  as  we  have  already  said,  a very 
excellent  specimen  of  Philadelphia  architecture  in  the 
eighteenth  century. 

THE  CARPENTERS’  COMPANY. 

In  the  year  1724  a company  was  formed  of  the  master 
carpenters  of  Philadelphia.  The  objects  of  the  association 
were,  first,  to  regulate  the  prices  of  carpenter  work ; and 
second,  to  relieve  the  wants  of  the  families  of  deceased  or 
sick  members.  In  1763  the  company,  which  had  assumed 
much  of  the  character  of  the  ancient  Guilds  of  London, 
concluded  that  they  should  have  a hall  of  their  own,  in  which 
to  hold  their  meetings  and  transact  their  business.  Accord- 
ingly, five  worthy  members  of  the  craft,  named  Joseph  Fox, 
John  Thornhill,  John  Goodwin,  Benjamin  Loxley,  and 
Gunning  Bedford,  were  appointed  a committee  to  select  a 
lot  upon  which  to  build  a hall  for  the  use  of  the  company. 
It  was  five  years  before  choice  of  a lot  was  made ; and  in 
February  of  1768,  George  Emlen  and  wife  conveyed  to  the 
representatives  of  the  Carpenters’  Company  a lot  on  Chest- 
nut street  below  Fourth,  sixty-six  feet  wide  and  two  hun- 
dred and  fifty-five  feet  deep,  for  the  consideration  of  the 
annual  ground  rent  of  “ one  hundred  and  seventy-six  Span- 
ish milled  pieces  of  eight,  of  fine  silver,  each  weighing 
seventeen  penny -weights  and  six  grains” — just  one  hun- 
dred and  seventy -six  Spanish  dollars. 

In  the  year  1775  the  Carpenters’  Company  sold  to  Joseph 
Pemberton  a lot  twenty -six  feet  wide  by  one  hundred  and 


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forty  feet  deep,  from  the  eastern  portion  of  their  lot,  leaving 
themselves  a passage-way  fourteen  feet  wide  to  the  rear 
end  of  the  lot,  and  sufficient  space  for  a building  upon  the 
Chestnut  street  front,  on  the  western  side  of  the  passage. 
Mr.  Pemberton  paid  about  as  much  for  this  lot  as  the  entire 
plot  had  originally  cost  the  worshipful  company  of  master 
carpenters ; and  the  house  afterwards  occupied  by  Mr. 
Edward  Tilghman,  and  by  the  Post  Office,  and  by  several 
publicans,  was  built. 

The  Carpenters’  Company  procured  their  own  portion  of 
the  lot  gratuitously,  through  their  deft  management;  but 
before  this  transfer  was  made,  they  had  put  up  their  Hall, 
which  still  stands.  The  building  was  commenced  February 
5th,  1770.  It  was  to  be  a joint  stock  affair,  and  the  sub 
scribers  to  the  fund  were  to  have  an  interest  in  it  propor- 
tioned to  the  amount  of  their  subscriptions.  The  original 
articles  of  agreement,  and  the  list  of  subscribers,  now  occupy 
a glazed  and  gilt  frame,  and  hang  in  an  honorable  position 
in  the  Hall.  The  funds  were  not  contributed  as  rapidly  as 
the  building  progressed,  and  the  enterprise  lagged  for  a 
time ; but  the  master  carpenters  were  prudent  men,  and 
rather  than  involve  themselves,  they  met  in  their  Hall 
while  it  was  still  unfinished. 

THE  HALL  FIRST  OCCUPIED. 

On  the  21st  of  January,  1771,  the  Company  first  occupied 
their  Hall.  In  1773  they  were  in  so  tight  a financial  vice, 
that  they  were  constrained  to  borrow  £300  for  the  purpose 
of  paying  off  arrearages  and  completing  the  Hall.  It  was 
not  until  1792  that  the  final  finishing  touches  were  put 


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upon  the  structure.  The  building  was  hired  for  various 
uses  during  the  earlier  portion  of  its  career,  much  the  same 
as  public  halls  are  rented  at  the  present  day,  the  Carpenters’ 
Society  only  occupying  a small  portion  of  the  building  for 
their  own  purposes.  In  1773  an  arrangement  was  made 
with  the  Carpenters’  Company,  by  the  Philadelphia  Library 
Company,  and  for  a period  of  seventeen  years  the  library 
was  located  at  Carpenters’  Hall.  The  collection  of  books 
was,  of  course,  very  small  in  contrast  with  the  stores  of 
literary  wealth  now  ranged  upon  the  shelves  of  the  Library 
building,  at  the  corner  of  Fifth  and  Library  streets. 

CONGRESS  MEETS  IN  CARPENTERS’  HALL. 

When  the  Revolution  commenced,  the  central  location  of 
Carpenters’  Hall  rendered  it  a favorite  meeting  place  for 
the  patriotic  committees,  etc.,  called  into  existence  by  the 
emergency.  On  the  5th  of  September,  1774,  the  first  Con- 
tinental Congress  that  had  been  called  to  deliberate  upon 
the  troubles  which  were  becoming  more  and  more  serious 
between  the  colonies  and  the  parent  country,  met  at  Car- 
penters’ Hall.  Washington,  Adams,  Henry,  Randolph,  Jay, 
Rutledge,  Lee,  and  the  host  of  patriots  who  gave  lustre  to 
the  first  American  Congress,  walked  along  the  narrow 
passage-way  now  called  Carpenters’  Court,  and  gathered 
within  the  walls  of  the  old  Hall. 

THE  FIRST  PRAYER  IN  CONGRESS. 


The  famous  “ first  prayer”  in  Congress,  so  often  referred 
to,  and  made  the  subject  of  a very  good  historical  picture 


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was  offered  in  Carpenters’  Hall.  The  officiating  clergyman 
was  the  Bev.  Jacob  Duche,  then  pastor  of  Christ  Church,  who 
attended  in  his  clerical  robes ; and  after  reading  the  estab- 
lished prayers  of  the  Episcopal  Church,  he  poured  forth  an 
eloquent  and  fervent  extempore  appeal  “for  America,  for 
the  Congress,  for  the  province  of  Massachusetts  Bay,  and 
especially  for  the  town  of  Boston.”  Mr.  John  Adams,  who 
afterwards  described  the  scene,  says  that  it  was  the  morn- 
ing after  the  reception  of  the  news  of  the  cannonading  of 
Boston  by  the  British,  and  that  the  tears  gushed  from  the 
eyes  of  even  the  staid  old  Quakers  who  were  present.  It 
is  a pity  that  “ Parson  Duche,”  as  he  was  called,  should 
have  afterwards  turned  Tory,  and  disgraced  himself. 

THE  PROVINCIAL  ASSEMBLY  MEET  IN 
THE  HALL. 

The  first  Congress  dissolved  on  the  26th  of  October,  1774, 
and  when  it  again  met  in  May,  1775,  it  was  at  the  State 
House.  During  the  early  part  of  the  Bevolutionary  struggle 
the  Provincial  Assembly  met  at  Carpenters’  Hall.  On  the 
24th  of  October,  1775,  the  funeral  of  Peyton  Bandolph,  the 
first  President  of  the  first  Continental  Congress,  took  place 
from  Carpenters’  Hall,  and  proceeded  to  Christ  Church 
burial-ground.  In  1777,  the  British,  who  had  taken  posses- 
sion of  the  city,  quartered  a portion  of  the  army  in  Carpen- 
ters’ Hall ; and  at  one  period  the  room  up  stairs,  used  by 
the  Philadelphia  Library,  was  converted  into  a hospital  for 
sick  soldiers.  The  soldiers  quartered  at  the  Hall  made  a 
target  of  the  vane  on  the  cupola,  and  drilled  several  holes 
through  it ; but,  to  the  honor  of  the  officers,  no  damage 


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was  done  to  the  library,  a cash  equivalent  being  left  in 
pledge  for  every  book  borrowed,  and  the  usual  hire  being- 
paid  for  the  use  of  the  volume. 


THE  BANK  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES  IN 
THE  HALL. 

In  1791,  the  first  Bank  of  the  United  States  commenced 
operations  in  the  old  Hall,  and  it  continued  there  until  the 
completion  of  its  marble  building  in  Third  street  below 
Chestnut,  now  occupied  by  the  Girard  Bank  and  by  the 
City  Treasurer  and  City  Controller.  In  1798,  1799,  and 
1800,  the  Bank  of  Pennsylvania  transacted  its  business  in 
the  Hall. 


THE  HALL  AND  ITS  TENANTS. 

Below  we  give  a list  of  the  various  tenants  who  have 
occupied  the  Hall,  and  the  period  of  their  occupancy : 

1778  to  1790.  Philadelphia  Library  Company. 

July,  1774.  Provincial  Committee. 

1774.  First  Continental  Congress. 

1775.  The  Provincial  Convention. 

1776.  Provincial  Assembly. 

During  the  early  part  of  the  Devolution,  the  cellar  and 
part  of  the  first  story  were  occupied  by  the  United  States  as 
a storehouse  and  office. 

September,  1777,  to  June  1778,  the  British  troops. 

1778.  United  States  Barrack  Master. 


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1779  to  1792.  General  Knox,  Commissary  General,  first 
floor  and  cellar. 

1791.  National  Bank. 

1794  to  1797.  United  States  Bank. 

1797  to  1798.  Land  Office. 

1798  to  1801.  Bank  of  Pennsylvania. 

1802  to  1817.  Custom  House. 

1816  to  1821.  Second  Bank  of  tlie  United  States. 

1821  to  1828.  Musical  Fund  Society,  first  floor. 

1821  to  1828.  Apprentices’  Library,  second  story. 

1821.  Society  for  the  Education  of  Female  Children. 

1822  to  1882,  (with  a lapse  of  two  years.)  John  H. 
Willets,  schoolmaster,  second  story. 

1824  to  1826.  Franklin  Institute,  first  floor. 

1826  to  1828.  Cellar,  Gillen  & Hill. 

1827.  Society  of  Friends,  as  a meeting  house. 

1828  to  1857.  C.  J.  Wolbert,  auction  mart. 

THE  HALL  AS  IT  WAS. 

Independence  Hall,  itself,  was  for  many  years  a mere 
lumber  room,  and  within  the  recollection  of  many  of  our 
readers  it  was  even  used  for  a show  room.  It  is  no  won- 
der, then,  that  Carpenters’  Hall,  which  is  private  property, 
should  have  been  suffered,  until  quite  recently,  to  be 
devoted  to  the  ordinary  purposes  of  trade,  and  to  be  kept 
in  a condition  by  no  means  gratifying  to  those  who  love 
to  see  historical  relics  cherished  and  treated  with  becoming 
respect.  Citizens  who  were  familiar  with  its  history,  used 
occasionally  to  glance  up  Carpenters’  Court  at  the  quaint, 
old-fashioned  building  at  the  head  of  it ; but  unless  they 


Clarke’s  Hall,  on  Chestnut  Street. 


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were  in  pursuit  of  bargains  at  auction  they  rarely  ap- 
proached nearer  to  it  than  Chestnut  street.  Strangers 
who  were  in  quest  of  the  objects  of  historical  interest  in 
the  city,  occasionally  searched  out  the  Hall,  and  more  than 
one  hit  at  the  uses  to  which  the  building  was  applied,  has 
found  its  way  into  print. 

Mr.  Lossing,  in  his  Field  Book  of  the  Revolution  (Vol- 
ume II.,  page  57,)  thus  describes  a visit  which  he  paid  to 
the  ancient  structure,  November  27,  1848. 

“ I visited  Carpenters’  Hall,  the  building  in  which  the 
first  Continental  Congress  held  its  brief  session.  Having 
had  no  intimation  concerning  its  appearance,  condition  and 
present  use,  and  informed  that  it  was  situated  in  Carpen- 
ters’ Court,  imagination  had  invested  its  exterior  with 
solemn  grandeur,  and  its  location  a spacious  area,  where 
nothing  common  or  unclean  was  permitted  to  dwell.  How 
often  the  hoof  of  Pegasus  touches  the  leafless  tree-tops  of 
sober  prose,  when  his  rider  supposes  him  to  be  at  his 
highest  altitude ! How  often  the  rainbow  of  imagination 
fades,  and  leaves  to  the  eye  nothing  but  the  forbidding 
aspect  of  a cloud  of  plain  reality ! So  at  this  time.  The 
spacious  Court  was  but  a short  and  narrow  alley;  and  the 
Hall,  consecrated  by  the  holiest  associations  which  cluster 
around  the  birth-time  of  our  Republic,  with  a small,  two- 
story  building  of  sombre  aspect,  with  a short  steeple,  and 
all  of  a dingy  hue.  I tried  hard  to  perceive  the  apparition 
upon  its  front  to  be  a classic  frieze,  with  rich  historic  trig- 
liphs,  but  it  would  not  do.  Vision  was  too  ‘lynx-eyed,’  and 
I could  make  nothing  more  poetic  of  it  than  an  array  of 
letters  spelling  the  words : 


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‘C.  J.  WOLBERT  & CO.,  Auctioneers, 

For  the  sale  of 

REAL  ESTATE  AND  STOCKS, 

Fancy  Good^, 

Horses,  Vehicles,  and  Harness.’ 

.“What  a desecration!  covering  the  faQade  of  the  very 
Temple  of  Freedom  with  the  placards  of  groveling  Mam- 
mon. If  sensibility  is  shocked  with  this  outward  pollution, 
it  is  overwhelmed  with  indignant  shame  on  entering  the 
hall  where  that  august  assemblage  of  men — the  godfathers 
of  our  Republic — convened  to  stand  as  sponsors  at  the  bap- 
tism of  infant  American  Liberty,  to  find  it  filled  with  every 
species  of  merchandise ; and  the  walls  which  once  echoed 
the  eloquent  words  of  Henry,  Lee,  and  the  Adamses, 
reverberating  with  the  clatter  of  the  auctioneer’s  voice 
and  hammer.  Is  there  not  patriotism  strong  enough  and 
bold  enough  in  Philadelphia  to  enter  the  temple,  and  ' cast 
out  all  them  that  buy  and  sell,  and  overthrow  the  table  of 
the  money-changers?’  ” 

THE  OLD  HALL  RESTORED. 

In  1857  the  Carpenters’  Company  determined  to  restore 
their  old  Hall  to  its  original  condition  as  nearly  as  possi- 
ble, and  to  keep  it  sacred  from  trade  and  traffic. 

The  first  story,  in  which  the  first  Continental  Congress 
assembled,  was  grained  in  imitation  of  oak ; ahd  such  arti- 
cles of  new  furniture  as  it  was  necessary  to  procure,  were 
made  in  a style  to  comport  with  the  ancient  relics  preserved 
in  the  building,  and  which  tradition  says  were  used  there 
by  Congress  in  1774. 


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Prominent  among  these  old  articles  of  furniture  are  two 
enormously  high  backed,  quaint  arm-chairs,  which  stand 
upon  either  side  of  the  rostrum,  and  which  have  been  in- 
scribed as  follows: — “ Continental  Congress,  1774.”  Upon 
the  wall,  over  the  desk,  is  the  following  inscription  in  gilt 
letters : 

“Within  these  Walls 
Henry,  Hancock  and  Adams 
Inspired  the 

Delegates  of  the  Colonies 
With  Nerve  and  Sinew  for  the 
Toils  of  War, 

Resulting  in  our  National  Independence.” 

On  the  eastern  wall  hangs,  in  a glass  case,  the  satin  ban- 
ner borne  by  the  Carpenters’  Company  in  the  Federal 
Procession,  in  1788.  It  has  on  it  the  Carpenters’  Arms, 
and  is  suitably  inscribed.  Upon  the  opposite  wall  is  the 
banner  which  was  borne  by  the  Society  in  the  grand 
parade  which  took  place  in  February,  1832,  on  the  occa- 
sion of  the  centennial  anniversary  of  the  birth-day  of 
Washington. 

A handsome  roll  of  the  members  of  the  Society,  in  a 
massive  gilt  frame,  also  graces  the  walls  of  the  room.  This 
roll  bears  the  names  of  the  members  of  the  Society  from 
its  foundation,  and  among  them  afe  many  who  are  well 
known  to  our  citizens. 

The  upper  part  of  the  building  has  been  handsomely 
fitted  up  with  a library  and  meeting-room  for  the  members 
of  the  Society,  and  with  rooms  for  the  residence  of  the 
janitor  and  his  family.  In  the  library  are  several  of  the 


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original  leather  fire-buckets  which  belonged  to  the  Hall, 
before  the  introduction  of  hose. 

Outside  the  Hall,  in  front  of  the  building,  a neat  grass- 
plot  and  flower-beds  have  been  laid  out,  and  handsome 
lamps  occupy  the  side  of  the  main  entrance.  The  inside 
of  the  building  has  also*  been  supplied  with  appropriate 
chandeliers,  brackets,  &c. 

On  Saturday,  September  5th,  1857,  at  one  o’clock,  the 
Carpenters’  Society  took  formal  possession  of  their  Hall. 
The  time  chosen  was  the  anniversary  of  the  meeting  there 
of  the  first  Continental  Congress,  in  1774.  The  members 
of  the  Society,  only,  were  present  during  the  ceremonies  of 
taking  possession.  A handsome  -entertainment  was  pro- 
vided for  the  occasion,  and  an  address  was  delivered  by 
Mr.  James  Hutchinson.  Mr.  H.  gave  a sketch  of  the  his- 
tory of  the  Society  and  its  hall. 

The  Carpenters’  Company  are  entitled  to  much  honor 
for  the  liberal  manner  in  which  they  have  sacrificed  all  the 
advantages  resulting  from  the  use  of  their  Hall  for  business 
purposes,  and,  after  a heavy  outlay,  putting  it  in  a seemly 
condition,  and  setting  it  apart  to  be  kept  sacred  for  its  his- 
torical associations.  The  Company  have  grown  rich  by 
carefully  husbanding  their  means,  and  the  income  from 
their  large  fund  is  liberally  used  for  the  relief  of  the  sick 
and  distressed  who  have  claims  upon  their  benevolence. 
In  January  of  each  year  the  annual  meeting  of  the  Com- 
pany is  held,  and  upon  that  occasion  a large  table,  forming 
a hollow,  oblong  circle,  is  set  in  the  Grand  Hall,  and  the 
worthy  members  gather  around  it  for  a feast.  These  festi- 
vals are  confined  strictly  to  the  members  of  the  Guild ; but 


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next  day  the  friends  of  the  Company  are  invited  to  a 
second  edition  of  the  annual  jubilee,  and  good  cheer  is 
dispensed  most  hospitably.  The  author  has  had  the  plea- 
sure of  being  a guest  at  several  of  these  re-unions. 


THE  STORY  OF  “PAT”  LYON. 

On  the  evening  of  the  1st  of  September,  1798,  the  Bank 
of  Pennsylvania,  at  that  time  in  l^he  Carpenters’- Hall,  was 
robbed  of  $164,000.  Suspicion  fell  upon  Patrick  Lyon, 
from  the  fact  that  in  May,  1797, — sixteen  months  before  the 
robbery, — he  had  been  employed  by  the  bank  to  make  two 
doors  for  the  book  vault.  One  Robinson,  a carpenter  for 
the  bank,  directed  the  work,  and  Lyon  at  the  time  warned 
them  against  the  locks,  which  he  said  were  not  sufficient 
for  the  intended  purpose.  In  August,  1798,  the  yellow 
fever  becoming  extremely  malignant,  Lyon  was  employed 
to  do  other  work  about  the  bank,  which  was  then  removed 
from  the  Freemasons’  lodge  room,  in  Lodge  alley,  above 
Second  street,  to  the  Carpenters’  Hall.  A day  or  two 
before  that  an  attempt  had  been  made  to  force  open  the 
cash  vault  of  the  bank,  but  nothing  was  said  to  Lyon  upon 
the  subject.  The  two  inner  doors,  the  locks  upon  which 
he  had  before  pronounced  inferior,  were  brought  to  him  by 
Samuel  Robinson  to  be  mended,  and  Lyon  again  spoke  of 
their  insufficiency.  Whilst  they  were  at  his  shop,  one 
Isaac  Davis  came  with  Robinson  to  look  at  them.  No  par- 
ticular attention  was  paid  to  them  at  the  time.  The  doors 
were  hung  on  the  14th  of  August,  and  the  yellow  fever 
becoming  worse,  Lyon  left  the  city  on  the  22d,  with  an 


20 


apprentice,  and  sailed  for  Lewes,  Delaware.  Whilst  there 
the  apprentice  sickened  with  the  yellow  fever;,  and  on 
the  night  the  bank  was  robbed,  Lyon  was  at  Lewes  nurs- 
ing the  boy.  On  the  16th  of  September  news  arrived 
at  Lewes  that  the  bank  had  been  plundered,  and  Lyon  was 
informed  that  he  was  suspected.  Struck  with  surprise,  he 
determined  to  return  and  meet  his  accusers,  and  went  to 
Wilmington  on  his  way  homeward.  There  he  could  get 
no  conveyance,  and  therefore  determined  to  walk  to  Phila- 
delphia. On  the  20th  h^  reached  the  farm  of  John  Clement 

Stocker,  in  the  Neck.  The  latter  was  a director  of  the 

^ • 

bank,  and  an  alderman  of  the  city.  Lyon  went  before  him 
voluntarily  on  the  21st,  and  there  found  Samuel  M.  Fox; 
the  president  of  the  bank.  The  only  circumstance  alleged 
against  him  was  that  he  had  the  doors  of  the  vault  in  his 
possession  before  the  robbery,  and  on  that  alone  he  was 
committed  in  default  of  $150,000  bail. 

There  were  twenty  or  thirty  cases  of  yellow  fever  in  the 
jail  at  the  time,  and  Lyon  was  exposed  to  the  risks  of  con- 
tagion and  death.  He  was  kept  there  thirteen  weeks, 
without  a bed  to  lie  upon,  during  which  time  he  lost  all 
the  hair  which  was  upon  his  head.  Whilst  he  was  in  prison, 
on  the  20th  of  November,  nearly  the  whole  of  the  money 
was  found  upon  Isaac  Davis,  who  confessed  that  one  Cun- 
ningham, a porter  of  the  bank,  who- died  afterwards,  and 
himself,  committed  the  robbery.  This  ought  to  have  pro- 
cured Lyon’s  immediate  discharge,  but  instead  of  doing 
that  they  proceeded  against  him  as  an  accomplice.  He  was 
not  released  until  December  12th,  when,  on  the  entry  of 
$2,000  bail,  he  was  discharged.  The  indictment  was  pre- 
sented to  the  grand  jury  in  January,  1799— Samuel  Fox, 


Benezet’s  House  and  Chestnut  Street  Bridj 


# 


23 


Jonathan  Smith  and  John  Haines,  the  high-constable,  being 
witnesses — but  the  jury  ignor amused  it. 

Cunningham,  the  porter,  was  shown  to  have  been 
entrusted  with  the  keys  of  the  bank  the  night  before  the 
robbery ; yet,  strange  to  say,  no  suspicion  fell  upon  him. 
His  accomplice,  Davis — the  man  who  had  been  with  Kobin- 
son  to  Lyon’s  shop,  to  look  at  the  doors — was  a carpenter, 
and  attention  was  first  directed  to  him  by  his  making  a 
deposit  of  $1,600  in  the  bank  after  the  robbery  had  taken 
place.  He  had  been  before  without  means,  and  the  circum- 
stance excited  suspicion.  Shortly  afterwards  he  deposited 
$3,910  more,  and  it  was  found  he  had  made  deposits  in 
other  banks.  Davis  was  then  taxed  with  the  robbery,  con- 
fessed the  circumstances,  gave  up  all  the  money  but  a few 
hundred  dollars  which  he  had  spent,  and  was  then  allowed 
to  escape  by  the  bank  officers.  Notwithstanding  these 
notorious  facts,  they  still  endeavored  to  persecute  Lyon, 
and  presented  the  bill  against  him  as  an  accomplice. 

The  circumstances  of  the  case  were  so  outrageous,  and 
the  conduct  of  the  bank  officers  so  unjustifiable,  that  Lyon 
brought  a suit  against  Fox,  Smith,  Stocker  and  Haines,  in 
the  Supreme  Court.  The  trial  took  place  in  December, 
1805,  and  the  jury  returned  a verdict  for  plaintiff  of  $12,000 
damages.  Subsequently  a new  trial  was  granted,  but  the 
matter  was  compromised  by  the  payment  of  $9,000  to  Lyon. 

Thus  ended  one  of  the  strangest  occurrences  in  Philadel- 
phia history — a matter  which  created  the  greatest  excite- 
ment at  the  time,  and  is  yet  a subject  of  tradition  among 
our  older  citizens.  At  that  time  Lyon  was  principally 
known  as  a locksmith  and  blacksmith.  Birch’s  picture  of 
the  Philadelphia  Library  building,  taken  in  1800,  contains 


24 


a view  of  Lyon’s  blacksmith  shop,  which  stood  on  the 
southeast  corner  of  Fifth  and  Library  streets.  “Pat”  and 
his  journeymen  and  his  apprentices  got  up  real  anvil 
choruses  there  in  a one-storied  tumble- down  frame  shanty, 
which  was  in  very  decided  contrast  with  the  fine  building 
of  the  Mercantile  Library,  which  now  occupies  the  site. 
Between  the  skill  of  Lyon  as  a locksmith,  an  iron  chest 
maker,  and  an  engine  builder,  his  reputation  as  a rough, 
practical  joker  and  his  famous  affair  with  the  Bank  of 
Pennsylvania,  he  was  rendered  one  of  the  notable  men  of 
his  time. 

THE  CHANGES  AROUND  THE  HALL. 

While  Carpenters’  Hall  presents  much  the  same  appear- 
ance now  as  it  did  eighty  years  ago,  the  ground  west  of  it, 
upon  Chestnut  street,  has  undergone  a thorough  revolution 
within  that  period,  and  no  trace  of  its  original  condition  is 
now  Visible  from  the  street. 


Duche’s  House. 


I 


27 


THE  SOLDIERS’  AND  SAILORS’  HOME  FAIR 
AND  THE  HALL. 

Among  the  most  benevolent  and  patriotic  enterprises 
that  have  grown  out  of  the  War  for  that  Union,  the 
corner-stone  of  which  was  shaped,  if  not  laid,  at  Carpen- 
ters’ Hall  in  1774,  is  the  Soldiers’ and  Sailors’  Home. 
A great  Fair  in  aid  of  this  enterprise  was  held  in  the  Fall 
of  1865,  at  the  Academy  of  Music:  and  in  December  of 
the  same  year,  the  good  work,  commenced  at  the  more  pre- 
tentious building  on  Broad  street,  was  continued  in  the 
ancient  historical  structure  which  forms  the  subject  of  our 
sketch.  It  was  eminently  proper  that  the  spot  so  intimately 
connected  with  the  creation  of  our  beloved  Republic,  should 
perform  so  honorable  a part  in  making  provision  for  the 
gallant  men  who  were  maimed  or  disabled  in  the  late  great 
struggle  for  the  preservation  of  the  nation.  The  Carpen- 
ters’ Company  evinced  their  accustomed  patriotism,  by 
tendering  the  use  of  their  Hall  to  the  promotion  of  the 
objects  of  th§  benevolent  and  patriotic  enterprise. 

OUR  ILLUSTRATIONS. 

In  addition  to  a view  of  the  Hall  itself,  as  it  stood  at  a 
period  somewhat  remote,  we  have  added  to  our  little  work 
views  of  ancient  places  in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  the 
old  Hall,  or  such  as  may  be  referred  to  in  the  text.  These 
pictures  represent  Benezet’s  house,  with  the  Chestnut 
Street  Bridge  hard  by,  Parson  Duchd’s  house,  and 
Clarke’s  Hall.  We  append  some  account  of  each. 


28 


CLARKE’S  HALL. 

Clarke’s,  Hall  was  the  nearest  neighbor  of  Carpenters’ 
Hall  on  the  east,  at  the  time  the  latter  was  erected.  In  the 
early  days  of  the  city  it  was  built  for  William  Clarke,  Esq., 
a lawyer  of  the  infant  town.  It  w&s  occupied,  in  1704,  by 
James  Logan,  who  entertained  William  Penn,  Jr.,  there. 
The  earlier  Governors  of  the  State  resided  there  succes- 
sively, and  Andrew  Hamilton,  the  Attorney-General,  lived 
there  for  a considerable  time.  But  it  is  best  known  among 
local  antiquarians  as  “ Pemberton’s  Garden.”  The  view 
we  give  of  it  is  taken  from  the  south,  and  the  little  bridge 
shewn  in  the  foreground  spanned  Dock  creek  at  where  Third 
and  Dock  streets  now  form  a junction.  Clarke’s  Hall  is 
on  the  left,  where  the  Ledger  office  now  stands.  The  build- 
ing upon  the  right  is  the  ancient  dwelling  of  Mayor  Wil- 
liam Hudson.  The  neighborhood  has  changed  somewhat 
since  this  view  was  ta^en. 


BEKEZET’S  IJOLTSE  AKD  OHESTHUT 
STREET  BRIDGE. 

On  the  north  side  of  Chestnut  street,  and  on  the  spot 
where  the  building  No..  823  now  stands,  and  nearly  oppo- 
site Carpenters’  Hall,  there  stood,  until  forty-five  or  fifty 
years  ago,  a quaint  old  structure  that  was  known  as 
“ Benezet’s  House.”  The  bridge  seen  in  the  picture 
spanned  Dock  creek  at  the  point  where  that  stream 
emerged  from  the  line  of  what  is  now  Hudson’s  alley,  to 
continue  its  wandering  course  up  through  Franklin  place, 


29 


after  crossing  Chestnut  street,  and  then  to  lose  itself  among 
the  woods  about  Fourth  and  Market  streets.  The  house 
seen  in  the  engraving  was  built  by  David  Breintnal,  a 
wealthy  Friend,  who,  deeming  it  too  fine  for  his  sober 
“cloth,”  rented  it  to  a Governor  of  one  of  the  West  India 
islands,  who  visited  Philadelphia  for  the  benefit  of  his 
health,  and  who  found  it  very  convenient  to  simply  step 
across  the  green  lawn  to  the  east  side  of  his  mansion,  when 
he  had  a mind  to  go  boating  upon  the  creek,  which  ran 
along  at  the  foot  of  the  hill.  The  spot  gains  its  principal 
historical  interest  from  the  fact  of  its  having  long  been  the 
residence  of  Anthony  Benezet,  an  eccentric  Frenchman, 
who  taught  school  there,  and  who  was  always  active  in 
works  of  benevolence  and  charity.  Through  his  earnest 
endeavors  in  that  direction,  he  is  believed  to  have  been  the  # 
first  to  arouse  an  active  and  effective  anti-slavery  senti- 
ment in  Great  Britain  and  the  United  States.  Mr.  Benezet 
died  in  1784. 

DUCHE’S  HOUSE. 

This  fine  old  mansion  stood  on  the  east  side  of  Third 
street,  above  Pine.  It  was  built  in  1758,  for  the  Rector  of 
St.  Peter’s  Church,  which  still  stands  at  the  corner  diago- 
nally opposite.  It  was  the  residence  of  the  Rev.  Mr. 
Duchd,  better  known  as  “ Parson  Duche,”  at  the  time  that 
gentleman  delivered  the  famous  first  prayer  in  Congress,  , 
when  that  august  body  met  in  Carpenter’s  Hall,  in  1774. 
Duchd’s  house  was  afterwards  occupied  by  Governor 
McKean. 


THE  END. 


